Quality & Outcomes: Destination Therapy

The New Horizon: Destination Therapy

Penn Medicine is the region's leading advocate for the use of ventricular assist devices (VADs) that have dramatically altered the prospects for patients in end-stage heart failure. VADs can be used as destination therapy, which is an alternative for those who are not candidates for heart transplantation.

The advantages of the latest generation of VADs include a greatly decreased risk of infection, greater reliability and durability, and smaller sizes to enhance suitability for smaller adults and children. The devices currently available at Penn represent an inventory of the world's most sophisticated VADs, and a glimpse of what the future holds for end-stage heart failure and heart transplantation patients.